Package and method of forming the same



April 15, 1930. E. L. SMITH PACKAGE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME FiledFeb. 1.8, 1927 llli'i lllllllllllllllllllum I N VEN TOR. M

A TTORNEYS.

* iiPatented Apr. '15, 1

UNITED STATES PATENT orrlce mm LO'VEIIL MITE, SPRINGFIELD,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO lPACKAGE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD,MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 01' .mssacnusnrrs PACKAGE AND METHOD OFFORMING THE SAME Application filed February 18, 1927. Serial No'.169,321.

This invention relates to improvements in the method of wrappingarticles and the product thereof and is directed more particularly tothe novel arrangement of the over- 5 lapping portions of the wrapper.

It is highly important at the present time to wrap and seal food stuffsin moisture and dust proof wrappers and in wrapping such articles it isthe usual practice to bring the opposite ends of the wrapper intooverlappmg relation at a side of the article belng wrapped, and tosecure the overlapping portions together by gumming, heat sealing or thelike, in an attempt to seal the wrapper so as to provide the desiredmoisture and dust proof joint or seam. These overlapped portions of thewrapper are pressed against a side of the article which in the case of acarton is yieldable so that it is ractically impossible to make anon-leakable, moisture and dust proof joint throughout the length of theseam and when the article has an uneven surface like a loaf of bread orthe like, the pressing action is necessarily uneven so that leaksthrough the joint develop. In the case of wrapping a stack or group ofarticles such as cookies or crackers with varying diameters, it will beap reciated that a very uneven surface is provided forbacking upthepressing v action for the overlapping wrapper ends so that it isextremely difficult in such a case, if not impossible, to provide anon-leakable, dust and moisture proof seam as is highly desirable in thewrapping of food stuffs.

According to the novel features of my invention, I provide a method ofwrapping an article whereby the overlapping ends of the a wrapper may bethoroughly and securely sealed together regardless of the condition ofthe surface of. the article or articles being wrapped. I'accomplish thisby folding the 'wrapper in such a waythat for the pressing action I donot depend upon the article entirely to backup the wra per, whereby theseam or joint is made'tig t even on an article having an uneven oryieldable surface.

The invention is adapted for broad application wherever it is desired towrap an article or articles so that the overlapping portions of thewrapper are thoroughly sealed. The invention is also applicable for usein connection with wrappers of various materials, such as wrapping papersealed by gum or the like, or waxed paper sealed by the apphcation ofheat thereto. The means or apparatus for performing the steps comprisingthe novel steps of the method may be varied within wide limits forperforming the folding operations in accordance with the invention. v

While I do not limit myself to the wrappin of a stack of circulararticles, such as coo 'es, with waxed paper, I will describe theinventon in connection therewith in order to facilitate a clearunderstanding thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a small scale plan view of a stack of articles such as cookiessuperposed on a wrapper; and

Figs. 2 to 8 show various steps of the method to be described.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 represents a stack of circularshaped articles, such as cookies or crackers which it is desired toenclose in stacked formation in a wrapper W.

The wrapper W is preferably, for the purposes of description, paperimpregnated with wax which as is well known, may be melted by heat andwill readily set or solidify so that when overlapping portions of thewrapper are heated by any suitable means they are easily securedtogether by the hardening of the wax, in their overlapped or foldedrelation.

- The width of the wrapper is preferably in excess of the perimeter ofthe articles so as to provide overlapping end portions and is of alength longer than the stack of articles to provide end extensions ortabs for folding 00 against the ends of the stack, all as will later bedescribed.

The wrapper W is brought up around the stack as shown in Fig. 2 so thatthe inner faces 01' surfaces of the wrapper ends E and E" abut oneanother. It will be noted that the end E is made to extend beyond theend E for the purpose to be later described. If waxed wrapping materialis used, heat may be applied to the overlapped ends as shown in Fig. 2if it is desired to secure them together at this time, but if desired,the heat may be applied as a subsequent step as Wlll later be explained.The wrapper being wider than the length of the stack, it provides tubelike extensions at the ends thereof and a tuck or fold 2 is made in theextension at the lower side of the stack which is laid up against theends of the stack. This tucking operation may be performedsimultaneously with the bringing together of the wrapper ends if desiredand various mechanisms may be employed for the purpose. It is largely amatter of choice as to when this fold will be made and will dependsomewhat on the arrangement of such apparatus as may be used to performthis step of the method.

The next step is to lay the wrapper ends against the side of the articleand is done by making such a fold as will lay the end E back on itselfwith the end E overlying it and extending beyond the end E onto the bodyof the wrapper as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Heat may be applied to the overlapping portions E and E when thus laiddown and will serve to soften the wax of the wrap-' per so as to stickthem together to form a tight moisture and dust proof seal or'jointthroughout the length of the fold.

If other material than waxed paper is used, such as wrapping paper, gumor the like may be applied to the wrapper ends in any of the well knownways to stick the overlying portions together to accomplishsubstantially the same results as with waxed paper and the applicationof heat.

It will be noted that the wrapper end E which extends beyond the otherend E lies against the body of the wrapper at a point outside or beyondthe other or shorter end E. This is advantageous in that the wrap perend E thus secured to the body of the wrapper provides a seal with.thebody of the wrapper and the end E is held down thereby so as to notbecome loosened from the underlying portion of the wrapper.

As will be noted, there are at least three thicknesses of wrappingmaterial at the .upper side of the package which has a distinctadvantage in that when the heat sealing pressure is applied thereto thematerial is slightly resilient or yieldable so as to lie against thesealing implement the full length of the seam and further being somewhatyieldable any irregularities of the surface of the articles will notaffect the pressing together of the plies of material.

With the longitudinal seam thus sealed, the wrapper extensions at theends of the stack are tucked or folded at the sides of the stack as at 5and 6 and laid against the end of the article. Finally the upper endextensions 7 of the wrapper are brought downwardly to overlap the tucksor folds 2, 5 and 6 previously made and heat is applied to the ends ofthe package to stick the overlapped folded end tucks together.

It will be obvious that instead of using waxed wrapping material asdescribed, the invention may be practiced by employing any desiredmaterial and securing the overlapping portions together by gum or anyother adheslve material.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I am able to seal theoverlapping portions of the wrapper together so as to rovide a tight,moisture and dust proof joint and I do not depend, for the pressingaction, entirely upon the character of the surface of the articlebecause the arrangement of the folds of the wrapper provide a sufiicientamount of resiliency to make up for any ordinary unevenness oryieldability of the side of the article.

I am aware that the invention may be practiced by the employment ofvarious materials and in connection with the wrapping of variousarticles. I prefer therefore not to be limited to the description of theinvention but rather, if at all, by the appended claims.

- What I claim is:

1. A package comprising an article and a wrapper enclosing the article,the marginal edges'of the wrapper being overla ped along one face of thearticle, one of sai edges being doubled back so as to lie against themain body of the wrapper, and the other of said edges overlyin thefirst-named edge and extending beyond 1t onto the main body of thewrapper, said marginal edges being adhesively secured to each other andto the main body of the wrapper.

2. A package comprising an article and a wax-impregnated wrapperenclosing the article, the marginal edges of the wrapper belngoverlapped along one face of the article, one of said edges beingdoubled back so as to lie against the main body of the wrapper, andtheother of said edges overlying the first-named edge and extending beyondit onto the main body of the wrapper, said margmal edgesbeing secured toeach other and to the main body of the wrapper by fusion of the waxcarried by'the wrapper,

3. A package comprising an article of irregular surface and awax-impregnated wrapper enclosing the article, the marginal edges of thewrapper being overla ped along one face of the article, one of sai edgesbeing doubled back so as to lie against the main body of the wrapper,and the other of said edges overlying the first-named edge and extendingbeyond it onto the main body of the wrapper, thus forming a three-plysealing portion and a two-ply portion extending therefrom, the plies ofeach of said portions being secured to each other by fusion of the Waxcarried by the Wrapper.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

ELMER L. SMITH.

